SoVote

Feb/1/22 3:08:23 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, according to Canada's 2022 food price report, the overall food price increase is from 5% to 7%. It is the highest predicted increase in food prices in the last 20 years. This is becoming a concern for many constituents in my riding. The price of food in Alberta is expected to be higher than the national average in 2022. When will the Liberal government finally admit that its policies have directly affected the two-decade high inflation rate?

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Context: House Hansard - 21 - Feb/1/22

Mr. Gerald Soroka (Yellowhead, CPC)

Feb/1/22 4:07:01 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, it is an honour to rise in the House as the member of Parliament for Yellowhead to speak at report stage on the address in reply to the Speech from the Throne. Before I comment, I want to remind everyone of what transpired leading up to the throne speech. On August 18, 2020, the Prime Minister asked then Governor General Julie Payette to prorogue Parliament until September 23, amid the WE Charity scandal. She agreed. The previous federal election was on October 21, 2019, and the 43rd Parliament lasted from December 5 to August 15, 2021. Is it not the intent of prorogation to signal the completion of the government's agenda, or was Parliament prorogued to cover up the Liberal scandal that was being brought to light? On September 20, 2021, during the pandemic, Canadians were asked to go back to the polls. On November 23, Governor General Mary Simon presented the throne speech laying out the government's new priorities, but in my view, the speech did not do that. Instead, it repeated the Liberals' electoral promises. It was more of the same, with more deficits leading to higher taxes at a time when Canadians were, and still are, barely making ends meet. In fact, inflation is now impacting families across Canada. Food is getting more expensive. Gas and home heating are costing more. The housing crisis continues to reach record high levels, yet there was no plan to fight inflation in the throne speech except to say the Liberals' solution to inflation was housing and child care. In the throne speech it says: Inflation is a challenge that countries around the world are facing.... [While] Canada's economic performance is better than many of our partners, we must keep tackling the rising cost of living. If our economy is better than our partners', why are other countries launching ambitious plans focused on innovation, lowering taxes and cutting red tape to get their economies rolling again? We know that to build a better economic future we have to have objectives, such as removing interprovincial trade barriers, revamping the tax system, creating more jobs and much more. There was no mention of what measures would be taken to address the cost of living, especially in my riding of Yellowhead, where people are struggling to make ends meet. Our seniors and those on fixed incomes are worried. Further, the speech touched on warning that the earth is in danger, but it did not come up with any major adjustments to make the climate plan functional. In fact, the Liberals made it worse by ignoring the plight of workers in the energy, auto and skilled industries. There was no mention about helping Alberta. Instead, the document continued the Liberals' assault on energy workers. The only reference to energy workers was a promise to limit Canada's oil and gas emissions. As we all know, businesses are suffering, impacting our economy and our country. The throne speech did not mention the potential to create a plan for workers so that they could return to work. Tourism is a very important industry in my riding, as are oil, gas and forestry. There was no mention of tourism and how it has been affected by the pandemic. Towns in my riding like Drayton Valley, Edson, Hinton and Rocky Mountain House are challenged to fill positions in local and small businesses. These small businesses are major contributors to our local employment, and they are hurting. Some businesses have even closed. Millions of Canadians will continue to be left behind by the Liberal government. The throne speech only recycled many of the lofty promises we heard six years ago. The document only outlined the initiatives that began in the last Parliament, saying the Liberals would continue to enact what they promised in their election platform. It was the same old, same old. Again I ask, why did the Liberals prorogue Parliament and call for an election only to reiterate the same initiatives and promises in their throne speech? After all, the purpose of a throne speech is to introduce the government's direction and goals and to outline how it will work to achieve them. It should not repeat previous promises. It is ironic that even though the throne speech is entitled “Building a resilient economy” and the word “economy” was repeated 11 times, nowhere in the document were the words “productivity”, “investment” and “growth”. Was the word “economy” only a reminder for the Liberals not to forget to add it to their to-do list? If that was the reason, then the word “economy” was only meant to mean unfinished business, not a new economic idea. British Columbia and Alberta are two of the largest exporting provinces of softwood lumber and northern bleached softwood. Softwood lumber tariffs only damage our economy by affecting many Canadians looking for employment. Our partnership with the United States is also not helping. There was no mention of a plan to deal with lumber tariffs to protect Canadian jobs. The softwood lumber industry is a significant contributor to the Canadian economy, especially in my riding, where a number of mills are located. The lumber industry provides thousands of jobs in communities across the country, and generates numerous positive overflows to industry and services in every community. The price of softwood lumber skyrocketed following the start of the pandemic, and the pandemic-induced lumber shortage is driving up the cost of homes, making it difficult for Canadians to buy and build their homes. The price of housing under the Liberal government has been skyrocketing, and Canadians need a government that can help them afford their first home. There was also no mention in this throne speech of making our communities safe. Rural crime continues to be at crisis levels in many parts of the country. The government has failed to take any meaningful action to help. Instead, it has actually made matters worse by reducing penalties for crime, making the revolving door of the justice system spin even more quickly. There was no mention of how the government will deal with threats from China, nor as to why Canada designated lithium as a critical mineral and then allowed China to buy one of our lithium mines. The Liberals even went one step further and chose not to conduct a national security review following the announced takeover of Canadian lithium mining company Neo Lithium. Under the provisions of the Investment Canada Act, the foreign takeover was not immediately subject to a review and proper due diligence. Critical minerals such as lithium are essential to the future prosperity of Canada's economy and our strategic interests. These minerals are used in the production of products like electric vehicles and could play a major role in meeting our climate challenges. It is imperative that Canada takes seriously the issue of critical minerals and the domestic supply chains of these minerals. Priorities announced by the Liberal government do nothing for Canadians who are worried about the economy, the cost of living, the increasing cost of everyday essentials, crippling businesses from supply-chain constraints, labour shortages, investment, national unity, tourism, oil and gas, forestry, housing, safety in rural communities, workers whose wages are stagnating, the inflation that is steadily increasing and much more. What the government should have done was outline a game plan and a glimmer of hope for how the government would kick-start and strengthen our recovery from the pandemic. Unfortunately, that was obviously too much to ask. I look forward to questions.

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Context: House Hansard - 21 - Feb/1/22

Mr. Gerald Soroka

Feb/1/22 4:17:37 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, to be honest, I am not surprised the member from across the way is asking for help, because the Liberals truly have no plan for how they are going to deal with the high cost of housing. One of the biggest problems we have is foreign investment in our housing market. It is driving these prices up. There is no way the Liberals ever looked at trying to stifle that. Illegal people are using illegal money to launder money in Canada, and it is shameful that the Liberals have not taken a proper step in trying to address that. To answer the member's question, absolutely we should chat afterward, and I will give him a proper plan on how to deal with the housing crisis.

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Context: House Hansard - 21 - Feb/1/22

Mr. Gerald Soroka

Feb/1/22 4:19:10 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, it is very true. The easy solution is that we need to get rid of the Liberals and elect the Conservatives. When Stephen Harper was the prime minister of Canada, we had a great reputation right across the world, but unfortunately, since then it has been on a steady decline. Many countries now take advantage of Canada. They have already started looking at why we should not be a part of the Five Eyes anymore. The G7 and G20 are already questioning whether Canada should be a part of them too. The member is absolutely right. We are in trouble around the world. They are not looking at us seriously. The Liberals are not trying to make sure that Canada is a voice on the world stage.

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Context: House Hansard - 21 - Feb/1/22

Mr. Gerald Soroka

Feb/1/22 4:21:06 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, that is a very good question, and I would love to chat with my colleague later and talk about my riding and her work there as well. I think the biggest problem we are dealing with is the social system and how we help our people. The biggest problem I have seen over the years is that governments have always governed for four years and then planned for a total of eight. They govern for four, plan for four and operate for eight. Unfortunately, with our social program network, it takes at least 20 to 25 years before we actually see any outcomes, so short-term planning has always hurt everybody. I think under the Liberal government we are no longer at four and four. I believe we are probably more at a year to two years, tops. One of the things we need to start looking at is our social issues and how we deal with them. I am sure Conservative people have always been concerned about that, and we will definitely take care of the Canadian public as best we can.

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